By Dr. Michael Guido, D.D.
THE TEMPTATION OF JESUS - No. 1
Matthew 4:1-11
THE TEMPTATION OF JESUS - No. 1
Matthew 4:1-11
The number of times the average man says “No” to temptation is once weakly. But we should say “No” strongly every time we’re tempted.
This morning one came to the studio and said in tears, “I’m so ashamed. I’ve been terribly tempted.” “What did you say when you were tempted?” I asked. “No!” came the reply. “Good for you,” came the compliment.
The devil had this one think that if you’re tempted you’ve already slipped and sinned. Don’t let him get away with that lie. Sin only defeats when you yield to the temptations–the solicitation to sin.
There’s nothing unusual or abnormal about a Christian being tempted. Indeed, he should expect it. Wasn’t Christ tempted?
When was He tempted? Right after He was baptized, and He heard His heavenly Father say, “This is My beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased.” You, too, will find that a battle will come right after you believe. You will always have a struggle after a spiritual blessing. It’s one of the great truths of life that after every moment of revival there comes a moment of reaction, and it’s in the reaction that the danger lies. That’s what happened to Elijah. Singlehandedly he faced the king, his soldiers and the 450 prophets of Baal; and he defeated them. That was his greatest moment of revival. Immediately Ahab told Queen Jezebel about his victory, and she sent Elijah a message that read, “I am going to kill you by this time tomorrow night.” Then Elijah ran for his life. The moment of reaction had come. It seems to be a law of life that immediately after your greatest blessing, you’ll face the devil’s greatest barrage. The tempter came to our Lord with his attacks right after the Father’s attestation, but Jesus conquered him. You will do well to be on your guard when our Lord has brought you to the heights, for it’s just then that you’re in your greatest danger. But there’s victory in the Lord.
Where was our Lord tempted? In the wilderness. Where was Adam tempted? In a place of beauty, where there was plenty. Where was Jesus tempted? In a place of barrenness, where there was poverty. One, a paradise; the other, a wilderness. And most of our temptations today come to us in the wilderness. No, not when we’re with a crowd, but usually when we’re left alone. That’s when the temptation is the most dangerous. Look at Moses. He didn’t submit when he stood before Pharaoh in the palace, neither did he fall when he fled before Pharaoh on the way. It was when he was in the desert that his patience failed and he sinned. Look at David. When did he sin? Was it when he was resisting opposing armies? No, it was when he was resting. It’s easier to lay aside your besetting sin before a cloud of witnesses than in the solitude of your own room. But the wilderness doesn’t have to be your Waterloo. Jesus whipped the devil in the wilderness, and you may experience His power in any place and gain the victory through Him.
Why was our Lord Jesus tempted? The Bible says, “Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.” Did this just happen? Oh, no. God’s divine plan was being worked out. Did the devil arrange the temptation? No, God did. “Well,” you ask, “does God tempt people to sin? Did He want Jesus to be tempted to sin?” No. There’s a dual purpose in all temptation–the plan of God and the plan of the devil. The devil tempts us to do wrong. God tests us to do right. The devil tempts us to weaken us. God tests us to strengthen us. The devil tempts us to sin. God tests us to enable us to conquer sin. Since Jesus didn’t escape temptation, neither will we. But because Jesus triumphed over the tempter, so can we–in Jesus. The devil challenged the first man, Adam. But Jesus challenged the devil. The devil defeated Adam, but Jesus defeated the devil. God allowed His Son to be tempted that Jesus might ever be able to sympathize with us in our temptations and to strengthen us so that we might be more than conquerors.
Do you remember David Copperfield, the interesting creation of Charles Dickens? He became an outcast at an early age and faced fierce temptations. But in all of his wanderings he carried in his heart a picture of his mother. It was with him as he toiled through the day, and it was with him as rested at night. Before him at all times was this picture of his mother. It kept him pure. My friends, let us firmly establish in our hearts not merely a picture of Jesus, but His presence. How? By receiving Him and turning our lives over to Him. Then, after submitting to Him, we’ll be able to resist the devil, and then he’ll flee from us. The Bible says, “Submit yourselves to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
copyright 2000 Guido Evangelistic Association
All Scripture verses are quoted from the New King James Version.
This series of messages on the books of the Bible were originally written for broadcast on Dr. Guido's radio program, "The Sower." They are collected and reprinted here for your enjoyment and spiritual edification. Go to the Sower's site for more at www.TheSower.com.
This morning one came to the studio and said in tears, “I’m so ashamed. I’ve been terribly tempted.” “What did you say when you were tempted?” I asked. “No!” came the reply. “Good for you,” came the compliment.
The devil had this one think that if you’re tempted you’ve already slipped and sinned. Don’t let him get away with that lie. Sin only defeats when you yield to the temptations–the solicitation to sin.
There’s nothing unusual or abnormal about a Christian being tempted. Indeed, he should expect it. Wasn’t Christ tempted?
When was He tempted? Right after He was baptized, and He heard His heavenly Father say, “This is My beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased.” You, too, will find that a battle will come right after you believe. You will always have a struggle after a spiritual blessing. It’s one of the great truths of life that after every moment of revival there comes a moment of reaction, and it’s in the reaction that the danger lies. That’s what happened to Elijah. Singlehandedly he faced the king, his soldiers and the 450 prophets of Baal; and he defeated them. That was his greatest moment of revival. Immediately Ahab told Queen Jezebel about his victory, and she sent Elijah a message that read, “I am going to kill you by this time tomorrow night.” Then Elijah ran for his life. The moment of reaction had come. It seems to be a law of life that immediately after your greatest blessing, you’ll face the devil’s greatest barrage. The tempter came to our Lord with his attacks right after the Father’s attestation, but Jesus conquered him. You will do well to be on your guard when our Lord has brought you to the heights, for it’s just then that you’re in your greatest danger. But there’s victory in the Lord.
Where was our Lord tempted? In the wilderness. Where was Adam tempted? In a place of beauty, where there was plenty. Where was Jesus tempted? In a place of barrenness, where there was poverty. One, a paradise; the other, a wilderness. And most of our temptations today come to us in the wilderness. No, not when we’re with a crowd, but usually when we’re left alone. That’s when the temptation is the most dangerous. Look at Moses. He didn’t submit when he stood before Pharaoh in the palace, neither did he fall when he fled before Pharaoh on the way. It was when he was in the desert that his patience failed and he sinned. Look at David. When did he sin? Was it when he was resisting opposing armies? No, it was when he was resting. It’s easier to lay aside your besetting sin before a cloud of witnesses than in the solitude of your own room. But the wilderness doesn’t have to be your Waterloo. Jesus whipped the devil in the wilderness, and you may experience His power in any place and gain the victory through Him.
Why was our Lord Jesus tempted? The Bible says, “Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.” Did this just happen? Oh, no. God’s divine plan was being worked out. Did the devil arrange the temptation? No, God did. “Well,” you ask, “does God tempt people to sin? Did He want Jesus to be tempted to sin?” No. There’s a dual purpose in all temptation–the plan of God and the plan of the devil. The devil tempts us to do wrong. God tests us to do right. The devil tempts us to weaken us. God tests us to strengthen us. The devil tempts us to sin. God tests us to enable us to conquer sin. Since Jesus didn’t escape temptation, neither will we. But because Jesus triumphed over the tempter, so can we–in Jesus. The devil challenged the first man, Adam. But Jesus challenged the devil. The devil defeated Adam, but Jesus defeated the devil. God allowed His Son to be tempted that Jesus might ever be able to sympathize with us in our temptations and to strengthen us so that we might be more than conquerors.
Do you remember David Copperfield, the interesting creation of Charles Dickens? He became an outcast at an early age and faced fierce temptations. But in all of his wanderings he carried in his heart a picture of his mother. It was with him as he toiled through the day, and it was with him as rested at night. Before him at all times was this picture of his mother. It kept him pure. My friends, let us firmly establish in our hearts not merely a picture of Jesus, but His presence. How? By receiving Him and turning our lives over to Him. Then, after submitting to Him, we’ll be able to resist the devil, and then he’ll flee from us. The Bible says, “Submit yourselves to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
copyright 2000 Guido Evangelistic Association
All Scripture verses are quoted from the New King James Version.
This series of messages on the books of the Bible were originally written for broadcast on Dr. Guido's radio program, "The Sower." They are collected and reprinted here for your enjoyment and spiritual edification. Go to the Sower's site for more at www.TheSower.com.
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